Additionally, the champion Florida stallion was First Down Straw, who has earned the award with each of his three crops to race. The Strawfly Special stallion is owned by Linda McCleery and Chantelle Bourgeois of Ontario, Canada.

Hialeah Park hosted 30 days of racing during its fourth meet since 2009. The meet, which closed February 17, paid purses averaging $120,000 per day.

FQHRA was organized in 2005. According to the organization’s agreement with Hialeah, the meets in 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 each will comprise 40 days of racing over 10 weeks, with purses of $140,000 per day. According to track owner and general manager John Brunetti, Hialeah’s casinos should be in operation by June 2013.